A.M. Roundup: SUNY chief joins pro-Core coalition

Good morning! You can breathe easier now, because lawmakers have taken steps to correct a glaring oversight — the absence of an official state amphibian. The Senate has thrown its weight behind the wood frog, though not without some dissent.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is in Rockland and Nassau counties and New York City today.

In other, non-amphibious headlines:

Hoping to fight “a lot of misinformation about the Common Core,” SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher unveiled a coalition of college and university leaders organized to support the new national education standards — which she called a blueprint for “sealing the leaks in the education pipeline.” (TU)

The DEC and the environmental group Earthjustice have agreed to put aside legal fisticuffs — at least for now — over a DEC ruling that a proposed Port of Albany oil terminal expansion posed no threat to the environment. (TU)

What, no Beyonce?: Using pop-music-themed nicknames like “Christina Aguilera” and “Britney” to hide their drug sales, more than two dozen members of a narcotics ring that spread from Albany to Mechanicville to Troy were charged in a sprawling indictment Tuesday that alleged they sold heroin, cocaine, crack, ecstasy and prescription drugs across the Capital Region, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office said. (TU)

So when should Democrats start pushing the IDC members to rejoin the party? Opinions differ. (CapNY)

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio has been doing the rounds, talking to Salon and The Nation about Gov. Cuomo’s deal with the Working Families Party.

Now you’re getting personal: How did Nick Spano respond when Rob Astorino asked why Gov. Cuomo accepted money “raised by a convicted felon”? By pointing out that Astorino had also accepted contributions from a convicted felon — his own father. (CapCon)

Bribes, strip clubs and steak dinners: More details from recorded conversations were revealed Tuesday in state Sen. Malcolm Smith’s trial. (NYT)

Students come here for college, but how do we get them to stay after graduation? That was the topic of a higher education forum at Russell Sage College. (TU)

It’s all about the kids, of course: In an effort to reduce tailgating and “restore some of the family environment” at Buffalo Bills games, the stadium wants the legislature to let their concession stands start selling beer at 11 a.m. on game days. (BN)

46 Responses

No coverage of the Assembly and Senate passing a bill again for an M/C Pay Commission? For the second year in a row, this bill was passed with only 1 dissenting vote in either body.

Time for action by the Governor to fix this mess.

TU seek comment from the Governor’s Office to see if he plans to veto this bill again when he receives it. If so, what is his planned fix? It is obvious that the people have spoken throught the Assembly and Senate that this issue needs to be resolved and fixed for the future.

While I appreciate the Assembly and Senate’s efforts, it is completely hallow if they don’t plan to override the Governor’s veto on this bill, when it comes. From their vote it is obvious they know there is a problem and they are not doing their job if they refuse to override. There is overwhelming support for a fix. There is separate of powers and checks and balances for a reason. Do not let one person be a dictator.

I urge the Assembly to rush this bill to the Governor’s desk and force him to act on it. The M/C employees have had the issue hang over their heads too long. Don’t makes is wait longer… Especially with what will probably be false hope.

Time for New Yorkers who strongly oppose Common Core to go to war with SUNY Chancellor Zimpher. Common Core has only private sector beneficiaries–it was developed by textbook companies, test developers, and techies to create demand for their products in a down economy. The key question for people to ask is why don’t President O’Bama’s and Commissioner John King’s children attend schools that use the Common Core? We should closely examine Zimpher’s salary, benefits package, and management of SUNY–including the recent scandal at Upstate Medical. SUNY is a large, complex institution–she has more than enough to do running it without aligning herself (and in essence SUNY) with the corporate interests that are trying to sell New Yorkers a curriculum more and more states are walking away from!

“The DEC and the environmental group Earthjustice have agreed to put aside legal fisticuffs”. How many environmental watchdogs do we need? Can’t all these groups consolidate into one group so we can better monitor these extremists. The fact that there are so many splinter groups tells me that there is good money to be made being green.

“The Senate has thrown its weight behind the wood frog, though not without some dissent.”
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Senator Bonacic’s explanation of his “nay” vote was absolutely asinine. Other living things have rights to existence, and if they’re endangered, humans should have to put up with some minor inconveniences to prevent extinction. If you choose to live around a lake or other environmentally sensitive area, you should exhibit a higher standard of care. Boo hoo, it takes you longer to build a deck off your second home because the DEC wants to make sure local wildlife isn’t disturbed. THIS is one of the many reasons I dislike conservative Republicans: Their concern for animals ceases to exist outside their cat or dog; property rights trumps everything else.

Students come here for college, but how do we get them to stay after graduation? That was the topic of a higher education forum at Russell Sage College. (TU)
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The answer is simple, mandate government exclusively hiring from civil service lists.

With only two years left in the Obama administration, do you suppose Nancy Zimpher is getting Potomac fever? Arne Duncan will be gone in 2017 so who will carry the torche of reform of America’s public schools in Washigton? “Hmmmmmmm,” says Nancy.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), the second most powerful Republican in the House, has lost his seat to a Tea Party challenger. (WP)
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Wow. This just goes to show that sammy was right all along about taxpayer financed elections. How else could an unknown beat a 12 term incumbent who raised more than $5 million and had a bunch of outside “big money” independent groups supporting him. What a triumph of taxpayer financing. Wait, what’s that? There was no taxpayer financing in that election? Hmmm, well then surely that means Brat must be a multi-millionaire tool of his fellow 1%ers? Um, no on that count too. Brat only raised about $300K and apparently he is just a well-liked college professor who is pro free market, not pro-business and of course has a realistic view of immigration. Well,I should have known sammy was still wrong, my mistake. And good riddance Cantor. The guy can’t even spell his own name correctly for crying out loud. That should have been everyone’s first clue.
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Yes, I know there may have been a little Democrat “operation chaos” at work, but given the beating that Cantor took I’d be surprised if it made much of a difference, if any.

What, no Beyonce?: Using pop-music-themed nicknames like “Christina Aguilera” and “Britney” to hide their drug sales, more than two dozen members of a narcotics ring that spread from Albany to Mechanicville to Troy were charged in a sprawling indictment Tuesday that alleged they sold heroin, cocaine, crack, ecstasy and prescription drugs across the Capital Region, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office said. (TU)
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It took ten months to break up this little cabel? Is that because the “nom de guerres” used “nom de plumes” or because the political timing had to be right? My money is on the latter.

Brat only raised about $300K..
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Eric, it was just over $250K, of which he spent 152K as per MSNBC this morning. But dont’ worry, the 1% spent all their money to try and win this race!
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These principles of the man that took down Cantor
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And what exactly were those Principles? Or did Rachael Madcow not tell you last night?

@EriK – yes the candidate with the big money lost in the VA primary, but this is the EXCEPTIUON, NOT the Rule.
A study shows that “91% of the time the better-financed candidate wins”, see http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/04/04/think-money-doesnt-matter-in-elections-this-chart-says-youre-wrong/
Just because in this VA primary or in 9% of elections, big Money did not buy the election, that doesn’t mean we don’t need to reform the system in which big MONEY wins 91% of the time.
The more Republicans attack Campaign Finance Reform, the more we know the Corporate Elite 1% are afraid they may not be able to BUY elections if Reform passes.

Even Bill Gates wants states to slow down on the Common Core. (NYT)
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Billionires don’t like to be called “dirt bags” right Bill? You should have thought of this before you decided to destroy public education in the United States with your meddling and money.

No one cares about MC pay bill. The Governor should have the right to determine what all state employees get paid. Why should the MC employees be treated differently than unionized employees? If all you MC employees have it so tough, quit. There are planty of unemployed people who would love your jobs!

I fully understand the reasoning behind the bill to consider a service related issue, when a veteran, or member of the military commits a crime. But, it should negate all responsibility for the crime, and the bill should insure that the consideration cannot be abused by those who are looking for leniency only. What needs to be enacted into law is more assistance for these veterans and members of our military, before their situation devolves to the point of committing a crime. They have paid their dues, and provided a service that takes courage and commitment to the people of our country, and they should not be ignored until it is too late.

ALL HAIL the judge who let Sheldon Silver know he is not above the law. I hope he finds his feet put to the fire. He is one of the lynchpins in this construct of horrible and totally corrupt government that has been built by the elected officials of New York State.

Well, I guess the Global challenge, by Earthjustice will move forward Sept. 3rd. We all know how well the DEC is at issuing findings, just take a look at the hydrofracking decision, which has held over 100,000, and maybe as many as two or three times that, when you include who aren’t members of a coalition, mineral rights owners property rights in limbo for years and years. I hope Global isn’t spending those profits yet, because their chances aren’t any better than those of the mineral rights owners, unless they resort to distributing lucrative campaign contributions to the right politicians between now and November.

Wow, $10 million to support candidates to defeat the IDC members. I think that Kuomo and Deblasio need to take a hard look at Cator’s defeat, $5 million plus, with the majority of that spent, versus $200 thousand, with a little more than half of that spent. It would be just like some Brat to come along and spoil their plans. Maybe the voters in Virginia are the first round of voters to express their anger over the incumbents in public office. Kuomo should consider that, or just ask Papa Kuomo.

Students come here for college, but how do we get them to stay after graduation?
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Well, a good start would be supporting candidates that support business and job creation, reducing regulation, by reviewing redundancy by Federal, State and local regulators, lower taxes across the board where possible, and stopping these idiotic fantasy plans that won’t attract enough companies and jobs to make more than a token difference in our economy. But as far as cutting taxes, the dedicated funds have been robbed blind, and the needs that they were created to address are becoming more and more critical every day. Just pay attention to our roads and bridges, one fund that is decimated, as you drive around NYS. I see bridges that I would be averse to using, every day. But there is so much more. But hey, Handy Andy Kuomo has given us “balanced” budgets. LOL.

“No coverage of the Assembly and Senate passing a bill again for an M/C Pay Commission? For the second year in a row, this bill was passed with only 1 dissenting vote in either body. ” – M/C Pay
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If the legislation passed with 1 dissenting vote, then clearly, the legislature has a veto-proof majority in support of this legislation.
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Stop trying to guilt Cuomo into signing it into law. It isn’t going to happen. Instead, work to pressure the legislature to override the sure-to-come veto. That is the best place to focus your efforts at this point. Not in trying to make Cuomo feel or look guilty, not in berating the press or the unions for a “lack of support” – the legislature clearly is the best chance you all have at being made whole if a bill passes with that kind of overwhelming support.

Two words, FISCAL RESPOSIBILITY! Virginians, and Americans in general, are tired of government spending, and a deficit that will rob future generations of hope for a decent life. When it comes time to pay the deficit piper, that generation tasked with that burden will find themselves, regardless of income status, experiencing a major shift in lifestyle. With a national debt of $18 trillion, and a population rounded down to 360 million, that is a burden of $50,000 for every man, woman and child in the United States. That leaves many, right now, in a position that, dependent on the size of the family, with a debt that is higher than what they paid for a home. Reality has come home to roost, and it is a fighting cock, not a nurturing hen. November, and 2016 may be a stunning surprise for many an incumbent, who forgot what their job was, to represent the interests of their constituency. And it is not only the United States government that is culpable, oh no, but those States who have buried their residents in debt, high taxes, faltering economies, and a lack of living wage paying jobs. And the voters won’t give a fig what acronym or catchy name you give to a fantasy program that will just increase their tax and debt burden, they will escort you out the door. And New York makes the list of worst in almost every category. Get ready for change, because it is in the wind, and that wind may well turn out to be a hurricane of anger, by the voters. Ask Eric Cantor. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to ask him what he thinks of polls, in the bright lights of defeat.